A total of 78 national, state, and local organizations representing refugee resettlement agencies, direct service providers, faith-based groups, and human rights advocates on Sept. 16 released a joint letter to Congress calling for urgent action to restore the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and protect the most at-risk and vulnerable refugees around the globe.

The letter comes in response to troubling signals from the administration ahead of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Presidential Determination (PD) on refugee admissions, amidst reports of discriminatory resettlement selection practices and significant cuts to refugee admissions with compelling protection needs, such as refugees already referred for U.S. resettlement, a news release related to the letter noted.

The letter urges Congress to exercise its appropriations and oversight authority and to pressure the administration to:

• Fulfill its legal obligations under the Refugee Act by conducting meaningful consultations with Congress and setting the FY 2026 refugee admissions goal by October 1;
• Set a refugee admissions goal of 125,000 for FY 2026, reflecting both the global scale of need and the more than 120,000 refugees conditionally approved for resettlement;
• Prioritize the most vulnerable, at-risk, and long-waiting refugees, regardless of nationality, race, or religion;
• Defend and expand federal investments in refugee processing, admissions, and resettlement infrastructure by restoring full access to basic healthcare, nutrition assistance, and social services for arriving refugees;

Yvette Cooper, the U.K. home secretary, “has been strongly criticised by refugee charities after announcing that she is suspending refugee family reunion applications – the system allowing people granted asylum to bring relatives to the UK – until new, tighter rules come into force next year,” reports the Guardian.

Cooper said the move “would mean refugees face the same restrictions as other migrants hoping to bring family to join them in the UK,” the BBC reported on its website. “This generally means someone must earn at least £29,000 a year and provide suitable accommodation, while their family member may need to demonstrate a basic level of English.”